Soothing bath time rituals

Naomi de la Torre is freelance writer and stay-at-home-mom with two delightful boys, ages three and six. Naomi has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona, is a self-proclaimed salsa diva, and can make a killer octopus ...

Bath time magic

Help your preschoolers wind down from their busy days. Make bath time magical with these soothing bath time tips.

Instead of thinking of bath time as just one more nightly chore, take the time to add some magic into your preschooler's evening. These bath time activities are designed to help your little ones wind down, while providing an opportunity for some special family bonding.

Bath soup

Tired of plain old water? How about adding some colorful bath fizzers or bath salts to the tub? This is also a fun way to teach your preschooler about how to mix colors to create new ones. Toss some funnels, plastic beakers and test tubes in the tub and watch your little scientist experiment and make new discoveries.

Fun with shaving cream

Let your preschooler spray some shaving cream in the tub and make designs with his fingers. Practice the alphabet, make shapes, draw animals, race imaginary cars… the possibilities are endless!

Bubble magic

There's nothing like bubbles to bring a smile to your little one's face. Add some bubble bath to the tub or just bring in a non-spill bubble bucket and let your toddler blow his own.

Essential oils

Wind down with the soothing aromas of lavender, chamomile, citrus or other essential oils. Want to add even a little more soothing bath time magic? Turn out the lights and light a few candles. (For safety reasons, make sure the candles are not within your preschooler's reach.)

Bath time sing-along

Love to sing in the shower? Chances are your preschooler does too! Practice all your toddler's favorite songs in the best room in the house for acoustics! This is also a great time to do fun, finger play songs like Where Is Thumbkin, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, This Little Piggy and more.

Make sure to plan bath time during a quiet part of your day when you can take time to sit with your child. It is never safe to leave your toddler unattended in the bath.